Michael back on home soil

Nov 21 2008 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTH Symphony Orchestra will welcome Scone-raised oboist Michael O’Donnell as guest soloist at their Autumn Concert in Perth Concert Hall at 7.30pm on Sunday.

MIchael, pictured, guests for the third piece on PSO’s programme, Marcello’s Concerto in D minor for Oboe and Strings.

The concert opens with Overture Nabucco by Verdi, and also features Butterworth – Rhapsody ‘A Shropshire Lad’ and Beethoven’s Symphony 3 ‘Eroica’.

Michael, a Perth Academy pupil from 1996-2002, took up the oboe when he was 13 and two years later gained piano and oboe scholarships to attend the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Junior Department. During these years he played principal oboe and cor anglais with the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland and Great Britain. He moved to London in 2002 to study with Christopher Cowie and Gareth Hulse. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2006 with first-class honours.

Recent orchestral engagements include work with the Philharmonia, Northern Sinfonia and London Symphony Orchestras. Michael has also recorded for LSO Live with Gergiev and the LSO and for Chandos with Philharmonia, and has won a host of awards and prizes .

Michael joined Morgensterns in March 2007

Tickets for Sunday’s concert are available from the box offices at Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre, telephone 01738 621031, and online www.horsecross.co.uk